Francisco Severo Torres, a 32-year-old Massachusetts man who was arrested on a United Airlines flight for attempting to stab a flight attendant with a spoon and opening an emergency exit during an incoherent rant, is now pleading not guilty to the charges of interference and attempted interference with crew members.
Video footage that’s been shared via social media from the Los Angeles to Boston flight shows the horrifying scene, with a man that is allegedly Torres saying that he will “take over this plane,” threatening to kill everyone on board.
Related: Man Charged Over Stabbing and Attempted Door Opening on United Airlines Flight
The footage being circulated was originally taped by passenger Lisa Olsen, who told local outlet NBC10 Boston that Torres was shouting scary thoughts before he ran toward the front of the plane.
A man flying from LA to Boston tried to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken spoon after attempting to open a door in the air, feds say.
A Massachusetts man was subdued after a violent outburst on a Boston-bound United flight.
pic.twitter.com/gh7BeiCN5G— TheRealBiffBifford (@TBifford) March 7, 2023
“He was visibly upset,” she told the outlet. “He was saying that he was Balthazar, that his father was Dracula, [and] he was going to kill all the men on the plane. There was going to be a blood bath, he was asking where Homeland Security was.”
Now, chilling new details have emerged. Olsen, who was sitting with her teenager on the flight, spoke to the TODAY Show about what went down during the incident and the chaos that ensued.
“He started running, a bunch of men just got up from their seats and … started chasing him down the aisle … there were four to six guys on him, on the ground,” she said.
The man was then tackled and bound with zip ties.
“So many men on the plane just got up and went right after him,” Olsen explained. “The airline didn’t have any more zip ties and people were giving their belts, they were asking if there were any police on the flight, any military on the flight.”
Torres was arrested upon landing and charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts confirmed.
Torres is currently banned from all United Airlines flights pending his investigation.
